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7th Annual Indiana Permanent Supportive Housing Institute Finale

INDIANAPOLIS – Earlier this month in Bloomington during the finale of the 2016 Indiana Permanent Supportive Housing Institute (IPSHI), teams comprised of developers and providers unveiled plans to create supportive housing in Anderson, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Evansville. These new developments will help vulnerable individuals and families in their respective communities escape homelessness and access the services they need to stay housed. IPSHI is sponsored by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) with the assistance of the national thought-leader in supportive housing, CSH.

Prior to the finale, this year's Institute included four additional sessions with the teams where IHCDA and CSH staff shared expertise in the areas of selecting tenants, planning services, developing and operating, employing housing first and harm reduction approaches, and creating project budgets. Each team aims to use their plans to apply for development funding from multiple private and public sources.

Teams attending this year’s Institute are prepared to create supportive housing to serve different vulnerable populations including those forced to over-rely on costly emergency and crisis care services because they are homeless, and low-income seniors facing homelessness and meeting the age requirement for an apartment in senior affordable housing.

In addition to team presentations, the Institute finale included recognition by CSH of three Hoosiers who have worked tirelessly to increase support for, and the availability of, supportive housing in Indiana. Joe Whitsett, CEO of TWG Development in Indianapolis, was presented an award for his commitment to furthering the mission of ending homelessness through supportive housing. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson of Gary was recognized for her leadership and proven action in creating supportive housing. And Gregg Nussbaum, Vice President of Adult Services at Oaklawn (mental health and addiction treatment), for advancing high-quality services in supportive housing.

The Institute is an important element of the Indiana Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative, which was launched in 2008 to further the strategy to end long-term and recurring homelessness. The focus is on funding lasting solutions instead of stop-gap programs. Since the initiative began in 2008, over 1,400 permanent supportive housing units have been added or are under development in the state, contributing to a significant (38%) reduction in chronic homelessness in Indiana.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), chaired by Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb, provides housing opportunities, promotes self-sufficiency and strengthens communities in order to build an Indiana with a sustainable quality of life for all Hoosiers in the community of their choice. For more information, visit www.ihcda.in.gov or www.in.gov/myihcda.

CSH looks to advance solutions that use housing as a platform for services to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, maximize public resources and build healthy communities. In Indiana, CSH works closely with the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority to stimulate the creation of supportive housing for fragile individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. http://www.csh.org/.